Tag Archives: pregnancy pap smear

If you’re pregnant and get an invitation to go and have a smear test, what should you do? I got the definitive answer from an NHS spokesperson.

“This is one of those questions that totally depends on the individual. If you’ve had regular smear tests and they’ve all been normal, I’d usually recommend talking to your doctor and leaving it until 12 weeks after your baby has been born. A smear test won’t hurt your baby at all, however, it might not be a great thing for you psychologically, and let’s not forget, this is a screening process, so can be delayed until after the birth.”

“However, if you’ve not been regularly screened or if you’ve had abnormal tests in the past, then again, talk to your gynaecologist or doctor about this as they will take it on a case by case basis. They won’t ignore an abnormal test, if you’re still under the care of the Colposcopy team, then they’ll take care of you. It’s worth remembering that your cervix is going to look different when you’re pregnant, it can be engorged and there will be more hormones there. That’s why we always recommend you wait for 12 weeks after birth before you have another test. The usual rules apply, keep the lines of communication open and let your health care providers take care of you!”